Rana Daggubati weighs in on Kamal Haasan’s Kannada language controversy

Actor Rana Daggubati addresses backlash over Kamal Haasan's remarks on Kannada language, emphasizing societal expectations and cultural unity.

Actor Rana Daggubati has commented on the backlash surrounding Kamal Haasan’s recent remarks on the Kannada language, which stirred controversy ahead of the release of Thug Life.

In an interview with India Today, Rana addressed the growing tendency for outrage on digital platforms. “Social media has become a place to make an opinion. Earlier, you didn’t have that. Anything gets touchy and political quite quickly,” he said.

Kamal Haasan faced sharp criticism after he stated at the Thug Life audio launch that Kannada “was born out of Tamil.” The remark, intended to emphasise cultural unity, sparked outrage among pro-Kannada groups in Karnataka, with some calling for a ban on the film. A formal complaint was also filed against the actor.

When asked how actors should navigate such situations, Rana emphasised the need to shift societal expectations. “If the media and the news, and people become smarter (and understand) that actors are not the ones to advocate for the way society lives, it will be a better place,” he said. “I think you should look at scholars, politicians and learned men and women to lead a way into society.”

He also highlighted the misplaced attention on celebrities over more meaningful contributors to culture. “You’ll never bring a poet to the same stage... If the lens turns towards more important and current things, the country would become a much better place.”

Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan has issued a clarification letter to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, stating his comments were misinterpreted and made “out of genuine affection” for the Rajkumar family, adding, “There is no dispute or debate on the rich legacy of Kannada language.”